Press Releases

UNECE explores ways of using public-private partnerships in the renovation of public buildings

Published: 03 December 2012

In the modern world, it becomes increasingly clear that innovation in its various forms is a key factor of growth, competitiveness and prosperity. With this in mind, Governments of emerging market economies of the region seek to develop policy instruments aimed at enhancing the innovative capacity of the economy and fostering cooperation of stakeholders through public-private partnerships (PPPs).

In this context, a seminar, organized within the substantive segment of UNECE’s Committee on International Cooperation and Integration (CECI - Salle V, Palais des Nations, Geneva, 5 – 7 December 2012) will discuss the role of PPPs in the renovation of public buildings, with a special emphasis on the renovation of the Palais des Nations. The United Nations Office in Geneva (UNOG) has developed the Strategic Heritage Plan of the Palais des Nations and member States have asked UNOG to investigate alternative funding mechanisms, including PPPs. Building on UNECE’s longstanding expertise on PPPs, this seminar will illustrate how UNECE can provide practical advice to other UN bodies and member States on innovative ways to use PPPs.

The other main topic of the substantive segment of the committee session will be the preliminary conclusions and recommendations of the “Innovation Performance Review of Ukraine”. This project, conducted in 2012 by the UNECE secretariat in cooperation with a team of international experts, at the request by the Government of Ukraine, is the third in a series of similar projects already conducted for Belarus and Kazakhstan. This participatory policy advisory service was carried out in close cooperation with the national authorities and local experts.

Finally, CECI will review the implementation of its programme of work and the outputs delivered by its Teams of Specialists and networks of experts. The Committee will also discuss the updated programme of work for 2013 and the draft strategic framework of the Subprogramme for the biennium 2014-2015.